Sheet feed for duplicating machines



Oct. 31, 1961 M. J. AJAM 3,006,636

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IIIIIII Q u om cy, TJ E A YQ@ md, ,n A W M United States Patent O 3,006,636 SHEET FEED FOR DUPLICATING MACHINES Mustafa J. Ajam, Amherst, N.H., assignor to Standard Duplicating Machines Corporation, Everett, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Feb. 5, 1958, Ser. No. 713,503 7 Claims. (Cl. 271-51) My present invention relates to spirit duplicating machines of the type shown and described in Storck patent Re. No. 19,951 dated April 18, 1936 and particularly to paper feed apparatus therefor.

In machines as at present constructed, it is customary to provide a feed mechanism which automatically feeds successive sheets of paper to the drum and wetting roll and operates continuously, being stopped only when the operator takes her foot from an operating pedal. When it is desired to feed single sheets into the machine, stopping the machine after each sheet is printed, the operator must push the sheet up to the bite of the feed rolls, and then step on the pedal whereupon the sheet is Seized by the feed rolls and fed through the printing apparatus and the machine is stopped automatically by a one-revolution clutch. To feed another sheet, the operator repeats the operation, pressing the foot pedal each time a sheet is fed. In modern systems work where a single copy or only three or four copies are to be made from the master copy, this procedure becomes very tiring.

To avoid this, I have devised a machine in which there is a pair of continuously running forwarding rolls and a pairpof normally stationary feed rolls which start to revolve after a predetermined period after the machine starts by the action of a sheet or card separating any pair of a row of electric contacts which are located between the forwarding rolls and the feed rolls. The printing couple and feed rolls stop at the end of each revolution as the printing cycle is completed. Therefore, the machine make one revolution for each sheet of paper or card presented to it and then stops The frictional properties of the forwarding rolls are such that when the sheet or card is presented askew to the bite of the feed rolls the driven forwarding roll slips on the under side of the sheet and continues to forward the lagging side which has not yet been stopped by the bite of feed rolls until the paper is squared against the bite.

In the machine embodying my invention there are two rows of electric contacts arranged lengthwise of the machine which form part of a normally closed electric circuit. After leaving the forwarding roll, the sheet of paper separates one or more of these pairs of contacts, the number separated depending upon the Width of the sheet and breaks the circuit. Breaking the circuit sets in motion a one-revolution clutch and stop mechanism which starts the feed rolls, moistening rolls and the printing couple and stops them at the end of the revolution, i.e.,

3,006,636 Patented Oct. 31, 1961 ice 2 roll. As will be explained hereafter, a leading corner of any sheet which has been presented askew is swung around so that the forward edge of the sheet is parallel to the bite of the feed rolls. This is a very important im- 6 provement because when forms or cards have spaces on when the printing of one sheet is completed. Successive sheets can be fed as fast or slowly as the operator desires without the use of the foot pedal and the interval between the feed of successive sheets is entirely within the control of the operator. When continuous feeding iS desired, the current in the electric circuit is shut off and the machine is placed on the ordinary continuous operation.

The forwarding rolls comprise a continuously rotating power driven lower roll and an idle upper roll resting on the lower roll or on the sheet of paper passing through the machine and being revolved by contact therewith. These rolls are conveniently referred to as an overrunning couple. The forwarding rolls are located so that the Sheet of paper passes through them before it reaches the electric contacts or the feed rolls which present the sheet to the printing couple, i.e., to the drum and bed them which are to be filled with matter printed by the machine, they must be presented so that the printing will be placed precisely in the intended position.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a top plan view with a part of the guard or shield broken away to show the forwarding rolls and some of the contacts.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the machine shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the forwarding rolls showing the contacts and the electric circuit of which they are a part.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of one of the spring contacts. y

FIG. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 7 is a back elevation of the parts shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of the clutch shaft and cam unit looking toward the right in FIG. 2. v

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 3, at 11 is shown a portion of the drum, at 12 the moistening roll, at 10 the cooperating roll and at 13 the cooperating wick by means of which the wetting of the paper is accomplished. At 15 and 16 is shown a pair of feed rolls and adjacent them a pair of constantly running forwarding rolls 17 and 18 of which the lower forwarding roll 18 is driven from a motor shaft 19 (see FIG. 2) through a belt 20, sheave 21, second belt 22 and a sheave 23 which is on the shaft 24 of the lower forwarding roll 18 (see FIG. 4). The upper forwarding roll 17 is an idle roll and is not driven positively, being held down on the lower roll 18, i.e., against the paper when a sheet A is passing through, only by its weight and being revolved only by contact with the lower roll or by the upper vsurface of the copy sheet A passing through the machine. The copy sheet A is taken from a pile of sheets by the operator and fed into the bite of the forwarding rolls 17 and 18. If the operator presents the sheet to the bite of the forwarding rolls 17 and 18 with the sheet slightly askew, i.e., so that one forward corner of the sheet is ahead of the other forward corner and the forward edge of the sheet is not parallel to the bite of the rolls, the sheet passes through the forwarding rolls 17, 18 until the leading corner of the sheet reaches the bite of the feed rolls 15, 16, which are stationary not having yet started to revolve. This stops the forward movement of the sheet and swings the sheet around until its front edge is precisely parallel with the bite of the feed rolls 15, 16. After the sheet has been thus lined up, the feed rolls seize it and withdraw it from the operators fingers and feed it forward to the moistening rolls 10 and 12.

A guide plate 25 extending around a portion of the lower forwarding roll 18 is secured to a cross-bar 26 on the frame 27 of the machine and has its free edge close to the path of the sheet of paper as it passes from the forwarding rolls 17 and 18 to the feed rolls 15 and 16. In the upper surface of the guide plate 2S and insulated therefrom is a series of electrically separated elongated stationary contacts 28a, b, and c (see FIG. 4). Cooperating with the stationary contacts 28a, b, and c is a series of movable contacts 35 (a, b, c, d, e and f),'sup ported in a series of brackets 30 (see 'also- FIG. 5) fastened to and insulated from the vertical back wall of the customary trough 29 (FIG. 3) which contains the liquid in which thewick 13 dips.

One of the contact units is shown in detail and in perspective in FIG. 5. Each unitincludes` the bracket 30 having a pair of downwardly extending arms 33 between which ispivoted a swinging block 34. To the top of this swinging-block is secured by a screw 36 a swinging spring contact arm 35. VA spring 37 on a pin 38 which passes through the upper wall of the front bracket of each unit pressed on the swinging contact ann 35 and tends to swing it about the pivot 40 in a clockwise direction and, therefore holds the front end of the spring contact 35 lightly against the corresponding fixed contact 28 on the front edge of the guide plate 25 (see FIG. 4). When a sheet of paper A passes from the lforwarding rolls 17, 18 to the feed rolls 15, 16 it separates some of the swinging spring contacts 35 from the corresponding fixed contacts 28 on the guide plate 25, the number separated depending upon the width of the sheet. The several contacts 35a, b, c, etc., togetherV with a'suitable source of power, not shown, are part of an electric circuit, the wires connectingV the contacts being designated 50, 51, and 52 and the return wire 53. The wiring is arranged so that, when no sheet of paper is passing through the machine, the current passes through swinging contact 35a, then through stationary contact 28a, then through swinging contact 35b, thence by wire 51 to swinging contact 35e and thence to stationary contact 28b and in like manner through the other contacts, to the return wire 53. Accordingly if Va sheet of paper, for instance, the sheet indicated at A, passes under any one of the swinging contacts 35, the circuit is broken and as will now be described, the machine is started. On the completion of one revolution, the machine is stopped by a one-revolution clutch and stop motion which will be described hereafter.

By having the two series of adjacent parallel Contacts the full width of the machine, it is possible for the circuit to be broken whenever a sheet, whatever its width, passes between any pair of contacts. Therefore, the mechanism will be started and stopped by any sheet, strip or card which passes between any pair of contacts. This is very important because the sheets or cards to be printed vary in width, sometimes being strips of cardboard only an inch or so wide.

A shut-off switch 60 (see FIG. 2) is also provided. By it the single sheet feed apparatus may be put out of operation and the machine restored to the ordinary continuous feed operation.

Theorie-revolution clutch and stop mechanism and the mechanism by which they are operated will now be described.V Y

On aVV worm shaft 130 (see FIGS. 2, 6 and 8) is a worm 90 meshing with a worm gear 91 in a worm gear housing 98. The Worm gear 91 is on the drum shaft 92 of the machine. Accordingly the worm gear 91 drives this part of the machine at reduced speed. At 70 (see FIG. 6) is shown a constantly running pulley driven by a belt 71 from motor shaft 19 (Seel-FIG. 2). Worm shaft 130 carries a driving ring 78 secured to it'by a pin 79. Adjacent the driving ring 78 is a spider 80 having projecting from its side face three or more spider pins 80a (see FIG. 6). These spider pins project through holes 81 in the driving ring 78. The pulley 70 is mounted on a ball bearing 83, the inner race of whichis on the hub of spider 80. A spring 76 located between cap 75 and the hub of spider 80 tends to push pulley 70 and spider 80 to the left as shown in FIG. 6. Pulley 70 is provided with afriction surface 77 Iand this surface engages the rim of driving ring 78 so that the pulley 70, the spider 80 and the driving ring 78 turn together asa unit and drive the worm shaft` 130. Adjacent the driving ring 78 is a non-rotating brake ring 73 mounted on the ends of a pair of sliding rods 84 guided in lugs 86 on the worm gear housing 98. A cross head 87 connects the ends of the sliding rods 84 so that they, the brake ring 73 and the cross-head 87 can be moved back and forth in unison. A pair of coil springs 72 hold the brake ring 73 firmly against the ends of the sliding rods S4.

On the drum shaft 92 (see FIG. 2) is a cam 93 having a projection 100 engaged by a cam follower 94 on a swinging arm 95 on a shaft 96 passing through a lug 97 on the worm gear housing 98. The swinging arm 95 carries an adjustable screw button 99 on the end opposite the cam follower 94. Therefore, when the projection 100 on the cam 93 engages cam Vfollower 94 it swings the arm 95 about the shaft 96 and the adjustable screw button 99 pushes ,theA cross head 87, rods 84, and the non-rotating brake ring 73 to the right as shown in FIGS. 2, 6 and 8. Thereupon the non-rotating brake ring 73 in turn engages the ends of the pins 80a forming part of spider 80 and pushes the spider 80 and the pulley 70 to the right and separates the pulley 70 from the driving ring 78 so that the pulley 70 no longer drives the worin shaft 130. The Iengagement of the brake ring 73 with the ends of the spider pins 80a pushes the friction surface 77 of the pulley 70 out of contact with the rim of the driving ring 78, and stops the rotation of the spider 80 and consequently of worm shaft 130 since the driving ring 78 and the worm shaft are pinned together.

The shaft 96 also has fixed to its other side, i.e., on the side of the worm Vgear housing 98 opposite to the cam follower 94 (see alsoV FIGS. 7 and 8), a swinging cam plate 101 on which is an arm 102 connected by a link 103 (see FIG. 2) to the plunger 104 of a solenoid 105. On therlower end of the swinging cam plate 101 is a shaft 108 projecting across the lower edge of the worm gear housing 98. On the-end of the shaft 108 is a yielding pawl 109 (see also FIG. 2) the point of which is so located as to engage notches 110 in the edge of the cam plate 93. Therefore, when the cam plate 101 is swung counter-clockwise, as seen in FIG. 2, the pawl 109 engages the notches 110 and moves the cam 93 so that its high point 100 is no longer in engagement Withthe follower 94. Y

The solenoid is in circuit with the two rows of contacts 28 and 35. v In this circuit there is also a relay 106 and switch 107 (see FIG. 4). Accordingly, when a sheet of paper, e.g., sheet A, is fed into the machine (see FIG. 4)one or more of the pairs of contacts 28 and 35, according to the width of the sheet, are separated cutting olf the ilow of current to the relay 106. When the current to the relay is cut off the switch 107 closes and current is supplied to the solenoid 105 (see also FIG. 2) which thereupon moves the plunger 104 and acting through link 103 swings cam plate 101 counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 2 and as already explained, causing pawl 109 to move cam 93 so that the high point of the cam Vis no longer in engagement with the follower 94. Accordingly, brake ring 73 moves `to the left allowing spring 76 to lpush pulley 70 and spider 80 to the left yand causing friction surface 77 to engage the rim of driving ring 78 and rotate it. Rotation of driving ring 78 in turn rotates worm shaft 130, worm 90, wormY gear 91, and drum shaft 92 and therefore the whole machine.

As already explained, the forwarding rolls run continuously while the feed rolls 15 and 16 start and stop in timed relationship to the drum 11. When a sheet of paper is fed askew into the bite of the forwarding rolls 17, 18, the leading corner of the sheetH stops against the bite of the feed rolls which are then stationary. Owing to the low friction of the forwarding rolls and to the fact that the upper forwarding roll 17 is not positively driven but idles on the lower roll 18, the forward corner of the paper is held momentarily from advancing. rPhe lagging corner, however, continues to advance until the paper is perfectly square against the bite of stationary feed rolls 15, i16. Thereupon the feed rolls start to rotate and pull the sheet out from between the forwardsure ofthe idle roll 17 on the sheet.

I claim:

1. In a duplicating machine, a pair of forwarding rolls, a pair of feed rolls, an electric circuit, electric power mechanism in said circuit operating said feed rolls, electrically operated starting and stopping means acting to start the machine and lto stop it after one revolution, a series of contacts in said circuit and arranged in separately movable pairs lengthwise of the bite of said forwarding rolls and in position to be separated electrically by a sheet of paper after passing the bite of said forwarding rolls, the separation of any pair of contacts by the passage of a sheet of paper acting to break the circuit and start the feed rolls and stop them at the end of one revolution.

2. ln a `duplicating machine which includes a pair of forwarding rolls, a pair of feed rolls, a one-revolution clutch and stop mechanism to start the machine and stop it at the end of one revolution, an electric circuit driving the machine and actuating the clutch and stop motion and a series of contacts arranged in pairs separately movable after the bite of the forwarding rolls in position to be separated by a sheet of paper as it passes through the bite of said rolls, the separation of any pair of contacts by the passage of a sheet of paper acting to break the circuit and actuate the one-revolution clutch to start the machine and stop it at the end of one revolution.

3. In a duplicating machine and in a combination an electric circuit actuating the several elements of the machine, a drum and pressure roll, a pair of feed rolls in timed relationship to said drum, a pair of constantly running forwarding rolls, electric drive mechanism iu said circuit, a one revolution clutch and stop mechanism including a brake, said electric circuit including a series of separate contacts arranged in pairs in a row located between and lengthwise of said pairs of rolls, one member of each of said pairs being movable independently of the members of other pairs, a magnetic coil in said circuit, the passage of a sheet of paper between any pair of said contacts causing their separation and thereby breaking the circuit and de-energizing said magnetic coil and a second magnetic coil energized by said coil, releasing the brake and allowing the one revolution clutch to start the machine, and said paper upon leaving the contacts allowing them to close and restore the circuit to initial condition and the brake to stop the machine.

4. In a duplicating machine and in combination, an electric circuit actuating the several elements of the machine, a pair of feed rolls by which a sheet of paper is fed through the machine, electrically operated driving mechanism therefor in said circuit, a pair of constantly running forwarding rolls, electrically controlled starting and stopping mechanism in said circuit including a one revolution clutch and stop motion, a series of fixed ccntacts spaced and electrically separated from each other, said series extending lengthwise of the bite of said pairs of rolls, and a series of movable contacts, successive pairs of which bridge the spaces between the ends of adjacent pairs of fixed contacts and complete the circuit, each movable contact and a fixed contact constituting a pair of contacts in position to be separated electrically by the passage of a sheet of paper between them.

5. Control mechanism for a duplicating machine which includes an electric circuit, two parallel rows of electrical contacts in said circuit, one row being composed of contacts connected in pairs and the other row composed of fixed insulated contacts each long enough to bridge the space between the end contacts of adjacent pairs of the rst row, and a one-revolution clutch and stop motion operated by said electric circuit and set in motion by the breaking of the circuit by a sheet of paper passing between said rows of con-tacts and separating any pair of said contacts.

6. In a duplicating machine the combination, which includes a pair of feed rolls, an electric circuit actuating the several elements of the machine, a pair of constantly running forwarding rolls, an electrically operated onerevolution clutch and stop motion, a series of fixed contacts spaced and electrically separated from each other and located lengthwise of the bite of said pairs of rolls and forming a part of said electric circuit together with a series of contacts movable independently of each other, located so that a movable contact and a fixed one may form a cooperating pair completing the circuit, and are in position to be separated electrically by the passage of a sheet of paper `between them, thereby breaking the circuit and operating the clutch and stop motion to start the machine and stop it at the end of one revolution.

7. In a duplicating machine and in combination, an electric circuit, a pair of feed rolls by which a sheet of paper is fed through the machine, electrically operated driving mechanism therefor, a pair of constantly run ning forwarding rolls, electrically controlled starting and stopping mechanism in said circuit including a onerevolution clutch and stop motion, a series of independently movable contacts in said circuit spaced from each other and arranged in electrically connected pairs in a row lengthwise of the bite of said feed rolls and adjacent thereto, and a series of fixed contacts arranged in pairs and in a row parallel to said row of movable contacts, each of said fixed contacts being long enough to bridge the space between the end members of two adjacent pairs of movable contacts, said contacts when closed forming a continuous circuit, through a movable contact, an adjacent fixed contact, and the next movable contact, the passage of a sheet of paper between any pair of contacts composed of a movable contact and a fixed contact operating to start the machine and the exit of the paper therefrom operating to stop the machine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,217,971 McKindly et al. Mar. 6, 1917 1,243,802 Boswell Oct. 23, 1917 1,367,257 Henderson Feb. 1, 192'1 2,683,412 Jauch July 13, 1954 2,693,357 Davidson Nov. 2, 1954 2,716,548 Fors Aug. 30, 1955 2,740,353 Levin Apr. 3, 1956 2,757,928 Thomas Aug. 7, 1956 2,802,416 Karkow Aug. 13, 1957 2,903,965 Eichenbaum et al. Sept. l5, 1959 

